Variations in Anxiety and Related Psychiatric Comorbidity Levels Among Youths With Individual Diagnoses of Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Those With Both Diagnoses.

Abstract

Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD) or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) individuallyand those with co-occurring ADHD and ASDexperience higher rates of total anxiety and psychiatric comorbidities such as gender dysphoria and locomotor skillscompared to their typically developing (TD) peers. In this study, it was hypothesized that youth with comorbid ADHD and ASD would experience higher levels of overall anxiety, specifically separation, generalized, and social anxiety. A literature review of relevant studies published from2007 to 2020 was performed, with a search involvingkey terms such as "Anxiety," "ADHD" and "ASD'". It was discovered that individuals with ADHD or ASD had higher levels of anxiety compared to their peers. Furthermore, children who have co-occurring ADHD and ASD had more serve levels of anxiety than children with an individual diagnosis of ADHD or ASD. Children with ASD, ADHD, and co-occurring ADHD and ASD had a higher prevalence of gender dysphoria and impaired locomotor skills, which lead to higher levels of psychiatric comorbidities seen in this population. It can be hypothesized psychiatric comorbidities could also have implications for the high anxiety levels seen in this population but further research is needed to confirm this.